MBB Preview: Blue Devils head to UW-Whitewater Saturday

THIS WEEK'S GAMES: The Blue Devils (3-10, 0-4 WIAC) will head south to meet defending national champion and third ranked UW-Whitewater, (11-2, 4-0 WIAC) Saturday, Jan. 10 at 5 p.m.

WEBCASTS: All UW-Stout home games will be available in a live video stream by Blue Devil Video, with Sam Ripp on the call. WMEQ 880 Radio, with Pete Knutson, Jimmie Kaska, Jay Fahl or Jake Bostrom, will broadcast and provide a live audio stream of away conference games and a select number of home games. Stout will provide Live Stats for all home games. Check the Blue Devil Webcast page or on the schedule page to see broadcasts and Live Stats available when Stout is on the road.

CAREER STATS: Be sure to scroll to the bottom of this page to check out the UW-Stout career high for points, rebounds, and assists of each Blue Devil player.

A LOOK AT THE BLUE DEVILS : Jarvis Ragland continues to lead not only the Blue Devils in scoring, but the entire WIAC with a 20.6 points per game mark. Ragland is shooting at a 52.0 percent mark (78-150). Ragland has scored in double figures in every game he has played, with a career-high of 25 points, and a season-low of 13 points. Ragland has been the team's leading scorer in nine games this season. The team's lone senior is also the team's leader off the glass, pulling down 5.9 boards, ranking ninth in the WIAC. Ragland had the team's only double-double of the season, tossing in 25 points and pulling down 15 rebounds against Bethany Lutheran.

Brett Ahsenmacher scored a career-best 22 points against John Carroll University at the St. Norbert Tournament and bumped up his points per game average to 11.1. Freshman John Keefe, who had a 30 point outburst in early December, is averaging 7.5 points and is second on the team in assists with 23. Hank Kujak leads the team in assists with 24. Reggie Kujak has been roaming the paint where he is averaging 4.7 rebounds per contest, ranking 11th in the WIAC. Freshmen Sam Ortmann, John Lahti and Isaac Elliott are the only Blue Devils to have played in all 13 games this season. Stout is being outscored, 76.9-68.4.

PLAYING THE PERCENTAGES: The Blue Devils have been getting nearly 60 percent of their minutes played by freshmen, not surprising with a young team. The four upper classmen, Jarvis Ragland, Brett Ahsenmacher, Reggie Kujak and Hank Kujak have combined to account for 50 percent of Stout's scoring.

STOUT'S LAST TIME OUT: UW-Stout had the opportunities, but allowed UW-Eau Claire to go past them as the Blugolds downed the Blue Devils, 75-72, Wednesday at Johnson Fieldhouse. Jarvis Ragland led Stout with 23 points. Brett Ahsenmacher and Jalen Patterson each scored 10 points. The Blugolds Tyson Kalien scored a game-high 25 points. Jack Matinek added 16 points, 12 in the second half, for the Blugolds and Jake Kohner finished with 14.


SCOUTING UW-WHITEWATER: The Warhawks are the defending national champion and, not surprisingly, were picked to finish first in the WIAC in a preseason poll. The Warhawks are ranked third in the latest D3hoops.com Top 25 poll. The Warhawks lead the WIAC in scoring, posting a healthy 80.9 points scored per game. KJ Evans and Quardell lead the team in scoring, Evans with 16.2 points per contest and Young with 15.8 points. Evans is third in the league in scoring and Young is fifth. Evans is the league's top rebounder, pulling down 8.3 boards. Young leads the WIAC in assists with 5.2 per game and steals at 2.77. Whitewater gives up 64.1 points per game, for a league-best plus-16.8 scoring margin.

THE WARHAWKS LAST TIME OUT:  The third-ranked Warhawks shot a season-high 61.8 percent from the floor and held UW-Superior to 31 percent shooting in an 88-57 home triumph Wednesday.. The Warhawks, winners of 20 of the last 23 games against the Yellow Jackets, turned a 37-27 halftime lead into a 21-point lead just under five minutes into the second half with an 11-0 run to help take control of the contest. With the victory, UW-Whitewater extended its winning streak to five games and maintained a tie for first place in the conference with UW-Stevens Point. Senior guards Quardell Young (Kenosha, Wis./Bradford) and KJ Evans (Beloit, Wis./Beloit Memorial) led the Warhawks with 19 and 18 points, respectively, and combined to shoot 16-of-23 from the floor. Young also finished with three steals, while Evans added six rebounds.Last Saturday, Whitewater held off upstart UW-River Falls, overcoming a slow start and taking a 67-63 road win, Jan. 3. 

LAST YEAR WHEN STOUT AND WHITEWATER MET: The teams split last year, with both teams winning on their own court. Stout took the opener, Dec. 7, 2013, at Johnson Fieldhouse, 74-69. The Warhawks took a 70-59 win at Whitewater, Feb. 1. 


SCOUTING UW-EAU CLAIRE: After dropping four games in a row, the Blugolds have won two of their last three, including a 73-66 win at UW-La Crosse Saturday. Tyson Kalien scored 32 points to lead the Blugolds, while Jacob Kohner added 10. Kalien leads the Blugolds in scoring, averaging 15.8 points, and is top in the league in 3-point baskets made, draining 3.4 per contest, shooting 46.3 percent from downtown. Lewis Mau is averaging 8.3 points and a team-high 6.4 rebounds, ranking third in the WIAC. Mau is also fourth in the league in assists, averaging 3.3 per contest. Over their 13 games played so far, the Blugolds have been outscored, 68.2-65.2. 

THE BLUGOLDS LAST TIME OUT: Tyson Kalien exploded for 32 points to lead the Blugolds, shooting an impressive 10 for 17 from the field (59 percent) and five for seven (71 percent from behind the arc and the Blugolds went on to pick up their first conference win of the season, a 73-66 win at UW-La Crosse, Jan. 3. 

LAST YEAR WHEN STOUT AND EAU CLAIRE MET: The Blue Devils took both games last season, winning 56-45 in Menomonie, Jan. 4, and taking a dominating 89-67 win at Zorn Arena, Jan. 25. In the first game, Stout jumped out to a 31-17 halftime lead and held the Blugolds to 30 percent shooting. A month later at Zorn, Stout set season highs in points and field goal percentage, as they shot a red-hot 64 percent (32-50) from the field. The Blue Devils also had four players score in double figures, only the third time this season that has occurred. |


CLIMBING THE LADDER: Jarvis Ragland has been climbing the UW-Stout career scoring list throughout the season. He currently has 740 career points, good for 47th on the all-time list, passing Jann Peterson (155-58, 706 points), Russell Pollack (1947-51, 708 pts), Brian Howard (1955-59, 737 pts) and  Terry Farmer (2003-06, 726 pts).

AWARDS AND HONORS: Brett Ahsenmacher was selected as the UW-Stout Northwestern Mutual athlete of the week, Jan. 5, after his performance at the St. Norbert Tournament...Brett Ahsenmacher was selected to the all-tournament team at the Nicolet National Bank Holiday Tournament hosted by St. Norbert College, Dec. 29-30...Jarvis Ragland was selected as the UW-Stout Northwestern Mutual athlete of the week, Dec. 1 and as the WIAC Athlete of the Week Dec. 2 after averaging 22.5 points during the UW-Stout Thanksgiving Turkey Shootout.

TEAM CAPTAINS: Blue Devil team captain for the 2014-15 season is Brett Ahsenmacher.

THE COACHES: UW-Stout: Eddie Andrist (186-187 at Stout, 436-377 overall) is in his 15th year as the coach of the Blue Devils, and his 26th overall in the collegiate ranks. Andrist led the Blue Devils to their first NCAA Division III appearance five seasons ago when Stout advanced to the second round. Andrist coached at Mount Senario for 11 seasons and won three national championships. Andrist spent two stints coaching international basketball, working with the country of Qatar. UW-Eau Claire: Matt Siverling (59-62 overall; 25-38 UWEC) is in his third season as the Blugolds' head coach. Siverling was the head coach at UW-Superior before taking over at Eau Claire. UW-Whitewater: Pat Miller (302-85) is in his 14th season as the Whitewater head coach. With a winning percentage of .778 (291-83) entering the season, Miller ranks 12th all-time, among all NCAA divisions, in winning percentage among coaches with a minimum of 10 seasons coaching at the NCAA level. He passed Ohio State's Thad Matta and North Carolina's Dean Smith following the 2013-14 campaign. A four-time Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Coach of the Year, Miller has led the Warhawks to two NCAA Division III championships in the last three seasons. Whitewater won national titles in 2014 and 2012. Miller was a co-captain on Whitewater's 1989 national championship team.

CONFERENCES: Stout is a member of the nine team Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) along with UW-La Crosse, UW-Eau Claire, UW-Stevens Point, UW-Superior, UW-Oshkosh, UW-Platteville, UW-Whitewater and UW-River Falls. Superior will leave the conference after the 2014-15 season.

UP NEXT: The Blue Devils have a two-game homestand next week when they host UW-Oshkosh, Wednesday, Jan. 14, at 7 p.m., then will host UW-Superior, Saturday, Jan. 17 at 3 p.m.



UW-Stout 2014-15 Individual Season Highs (Updated January 8, 2015)

Points: 30, John Keefe vs. Bethany Lutheran, Dec. 3, 2014
3-Pointers Made: 5, John Keefe vs. Bethany Lutheran, Dec. 3, 2014
Rebounds: 15, Jarvis Ragland vs. Bethany Lutheran, Dec. 3, 2014
Assists: 7, Hank Kujak vs. Wartburg College, Nov. 29, 2014
Steals: 3, (8x) Jalen Patterson vs. St. Scholastica, Dec. 30, 2014; John Lahti vs. John Carroll, Dec. 29, 2014; John Keefe vs. UW-Stevens Point, Dec. 10, 2014; Hank Kujak vs. UW-La Crosse, Dec. 6, 2014; Hank Kujak vs. Bethany Lutheran, Dec. 3, 2014; John Keefe vs. Viterbo University, Nov. 19, 2014; Brett Ahsenmacher vs. Ripon College, Nov. 15, 2014; D'Marcco Patrick vs. Coe College, Nov. 16, 2014

UW-Stout 2014-15 Team Season Highs (Updated January 8, 2015)

Points: 90 vs. Bethany Lutheran, Dec. 3, 2014
Field Goals Made: 35 vs. Bethany Lutheran, Dec. 3, 2014
Field Goal Percentage: .547 (35-64) vs. Bethany Lutheran, Dec. 3, 2014
3-Pointers Made: 12 vs. Ripon College, Nov. 15, 2014
Free Throws Made: 28 vs. Coe College, Nov. 16, 2014
Free Throw Percentage: .800 (16-20) vs. Cardinal Stritch, Nov. 30, 2014
Rebounds: 46 vs. John Carroll University, Dec. 29, 2014
Assists: 16 (2x) vs. Bethany Lutheran, Dec. 3, 2014; vs. Wartburg College, Nov. 29, 2014
Steals: 11 vs. Coe College, Nov. 16, 2014


UW-Stout Career Bests (updated January 8, 2015)

Jarvis Ragland - #3
Points: 26 vs. Northwestern, Dec. 20, 2014
Rebounds: 15 vs. Bethany Lutheran, Dec. 3, 2014
Assists: 4 vs. Ripon College, Nov. 15, 2014

John Keefe - #4
Points: 30 vs. Bethany Lutheran, Dec. 3, 2014
Rebounds: 6 vs. John Carroll University, Dec. 29, 2014
Assists: 5 vs. St. Scholastica, Dec. 30, 2014

Mac Oreskovic - #5
Points: 6 (2x) vs. UW-Eau Claire, Jan. 7, 2015; vs. John Carroll University, Dec. 29, 2014
Rebounds: 2 (3x) vs. UW-Platteville, Jan. 3, 2015; vs. Cardinal Stritch, Nov. 30, 2014; vs. Viterbo University, Nov. 19, 2014:
Assists: 1 (2x) vs. John Carroll University, Dec. 29, 2014; vs. Cardinal Stritch, Nov. 30, 2014

D'Marcco Patrick - #10
Points: 15 vs. Coe College, Nov. 16, 2014
Rebounds: 2 (2x) vs. Uw-Platteville, Jan. 3, 2015; vs. Wartburg College, Nov. 29, 2014
Assists: 2 vs. Wartburg College, Nov. 29, 2014

Zac Doll - #11
Points: 3 vs. Cardinal Stritch, Nov. 30, 2014
Rebounds: 3 vs. Cardinal Stritch, Nov. 30, 2014
Assists: 1 vs. Cardinal Stritch, Nov. 30, 2014

Sam Ortmann - #12
Points: 10 vs. John Carroll University, Dec. 29, 2014
Rebounds: 5 (2x) vs. John Carroll University, Dec. 29, 2014; vs. Viterbo University, Nov. 19, 2014:
Assists: 6 vs. John Carroll University, Dec. 29, 2014

Brett Ahsenmacher - #13
Points: 22 vs. John Carroll University, Dec. 29, 2014
Rebounds: 5 vs. UW-Eau Claire, Jan. 7, 2015
Assists: 3 (3x) vs. UW-Eau Claire, Jan. 7, 2015;  vs. St. Scholastica, Dec. 30, 2014; vs. Bethany Lutheran, Dec. 3, 2014

Isaac Elliott - #14
Points: 11 vs. Wartburg College, Nov. 29, 2014
Rebounds: 3 (3x) vs. UW-Platteville, Jan. 3, 2015; vs. Northwestern, Dec. 20, 2014; vs. Wartburg College, Nov. 29, 2014
Assists: 2 vs. Northwestern, Dec. 20, 2014.

Jalen Patterson - #15
Points: 10 vs. St. Scholastica, Dec. 30, 2014
Rebounds: 4 vs. St. Scholastica, Dec. 30, 2014
Assists: 3 vs. Ripon College, Nov. 15, 2014

Cory Speer - #23
Points: 5 vs. Ripon College, Nov. 15, 2014
Rebounds: 3 vs. Ripon College, Nov. 15, 2014
Assists: 5 vs. Viterbo University, Nov. 19, 2014:

Colton Williams - #24
Points: 6 vs. Cardinal Stritch, Nov. 30, 2014
Rebounds: 4 vs. Coe College, Nov. 16, 2014
Assists: x

Bobby Green - #31
Points: 1 vs. Cardinal Stritch, Nov. 30, 2014
Rebounds: 1 (2x)vs. Bethany Lutheran, Dec. 3, 2014; vs. Cardinal Stritch, Nov. 30, 2014
Assists: x

Hank Kujak - #33
Points: 12 vs. Wartburg College, Dec. 1, 2013
Rebounds: 9 vs. John Carroll University, Dec. 29, 2014
Assists: 7 vs. Wartburg College, Nov. 29, 2014

Reggie Kujak - #32
Points: 11 vs. St. Scholastica, Dec. 30, 2014
Rebounds: 10 vs. John Carroll University, Dec. 29, 2014
Assists: 2 vs. UW-Stevens Point, Dec. 10, 2014

Alex Hammond - #35
Points: 5 vs. UW-Oshkosh, January 12, 2013
Rebounds: 1 vs. Northland College, Nov. 24, 2011
Assists: 1 vs. Northland College, Nov. 24, 2011

John Lahti - #42
Points: 10 (2x) vs. Bethany Lutheran, Dec. 3, 2014; vs. Wartburg College, Nov. 29, 2014
Rebounds: 6 vs. Cardinal Stritch, Nov. 30, 2014
Assists: 2 vs. John Carroll University, Dec. 29, 2014

Jacob Lindgren - #44
Points: 6 vs. Cardinal Stritch, Nov. 30, 2014
Rebounds: 2 (2x) vs. Northwestern, Dec. 20, 2014; vs. UW-La Crosse, Dec. 6, 2014
Assists: x

The Last Time...(updated January 8, 2015)

A Stout Individual...
Scored 30 points: 30, John Keefe vs. Bethany Lutheran, (12/3/14)
Scored 25-29 points: 26, Jarvis Ragland vs. Northwestern, (12/20/14)
Recorded 15 rebounds: 15, Jarvis Ragland vs. Bethany Lutheran, (12/3/14)
Recorded 10 assists: 11, Erik Olson vs. UW-Stevens Point (2/13/13)
Recorded 6 steals: 8, by Jerrel Enerson-Matthews vs. Bethany Lutheran (11/21/08)

A Stout Team...
Had five players score in double digits:vs. Wartburg College, Nov. 29, 2014 - Jarvis Ragland (24), Isaac Elliott (11), John Keefe (10), Brett Ahsenmacher (10), John Lahti (10)
Had four players score in double digits: vs. UW-Eau Claire, Jan. 25, 2014 - Alex Oman (26), Jimmy Whitehead (21), Josh Kosloske (12), Jay Higgins (10).
Scored 105 points: 109, vs. Crown College (2/15/11)
Scored 100-104 points: 102 vs. Silver Lake College (2/17/2010)
Recorded 60 rebounds: 64, vs. Concordia-Texas (12/11/2011)
Recorded 55-59 rebounds: 56 vs. Northland College (11/24/12)
Recorded 25 assists: 25, vs. Silver Lake College (2/17/2010)
Won 10 or more games in a row: 10, 2005-06 season
Lost 5 or more games in a row: 7, 2011-12 season
Was held to 40 or fewer points in game: 40, vs. Plattsburgh State (12/30/13)